Rose Burns, a student at St. Leo the Great School in Rohrerstown, was selected from among thousands of young artists as one of 24 finalists in the 2019-2020 national Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) Christmas Artwork Contest.
Typically, winners’ artwork is displayed in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., throughout the Advent/Christmas season, complete with an awards ceremony at the Shrine. However, it will look a little different this year.
Instead of an in-person celebration, the Missionary Childhood Association will live stream a program to Facebook and YouTube honoring the winners of the Christmas Artwork Contest on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. The show will feature messages from MCA around the world, interviews of winners and reviews of the winning artwork with MCA National Coordinator Holly Benner, and a focus on MCA and its outreach to children.
Rose will receive a handsome plaque, and all of the finalists’ artwork will be available on an online gallery through which eGreetings may be sent.
More information about the virtual awards will be posted as it becomes available on the Diocesan website, www.hbgdiocese.org/MCA.
The Missionary Childhood Association is the Holy Father’s society for children to share the Good News of God’s love and salvation while providing basic support for projects that directly support children in the missions. By participating in MCA activities, children learn about their brothers and sisters in mission countries – children just like themselves. And they also learn that their prayers and personal sacrifices make them missionaries today.
The Diocesan Missionary Childhood Association is part of the Office of Pontifical Missions, under the direction of Father Robert F. Sharman.
Meanwhile, the 2020-2021 Contest is underway. The contest is open to all children in the Diocese in grades K-8. Entry form and rules are available at https://www.hbgdiocese.org/evangelization/the-diocesan-office-of-the-missions/missionary-childhood-association/#2020-2021-christmas-artwork; deadline is January 31, 2021. Even though our Diocese is smaller than some of the archdioceses that compete, Harrisburg has produced several talented winners in this contest during recent years. We are looking forward to seeing some really great artwork again this year!
(Karen Harding is the MCA coordinator for the Diocese of Harrisburg.)
By Karen Harding, Special to The Witness
